Riddhi Kothari, DO

Shanika is a dedicated and compassionate board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP-BC) with over a decade of experience in the mental health field. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, a Masters in Nursing Education, and a Post-Master’s Certificate as a Family Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner. Shanika is known for her patient-centered approach, prioritizing empathy, respect, and individualized care. She is committed to building strong therapeutic relationships grounded in trust and open communication.

New patients can expect a warm, non-judgmental environment where they feel heard and supported. Shanika collaborates closely with each patient to create personalized treatment plans, helping them feel empowered in their mental health journey.

Shanika begins with a comprehensive psychiatric evaluation to understand each patient’s history, symptoms, and goals. Her treatment may include medication management, supportive therapy, and psychoeducation. She specializes in anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, ADHD, trauma/PTSD, mood disorders, and women’s mental health. Shanika has extensive experience providing care for both adolescents and adults in outpatient settings, with a particular focus on underserved communities.

‍

Dr. Maxim Chasanov, MD, brings over 30 years of experience in both inpatient and outpatient psychiatric settings. He has held leadership roles, including serving as Medical Director across various clinical programs. Dr. Chasanov completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Chicago and earned his medical degree from Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine in Chicago, Illinois. He completed his residency at Loyola University Medical Center, where he was appointed chief resident during his final year.

Dr. Chasanov values open, honest communication and takes a collaborative approach to care. He partners with patients to identify clear treatment goals and uses symptom screener tools to objectively track progress. He strives to create a warm, supportive, and empathetic environment where patients feel heard, respected, and actively engaged in their treatment journey.

In the first session, Dr. Chasanov works to gain a thorough understanding of each patient’s history, current concerns, and long-term goals. He then develops a personalized treatment plan aligned with those goals. His approach balances symptom improvement with medication tolerability and incorporates therapies that further enhance outcomes.

Dr. Lanier Summerall attended Yale University, where she studied philosophy in the Great Books Program. She later studied Molecular Biology at the University of Colorado, where she and her husband moved after getting married. She received her medical degree from the University of Colorado Health Sciences Program, and completed her residency at Dartmouth Medical School. She also trained at Massachusetts General Hospital with Dr. Theodore Stern in his area of expertise (Consult Psychiatry) and learned from his immense skill at building strong rapport with all patients.

Dr. Summerall has experience in inpatient, and outpatient settings, along with teaching and research. She has worked in hospital administration, government entities, most importantly the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee.

Dr. Summerall values transparent communication and will work with you to create the change. She treats patients as unique individuals and treatment is put into place with individualized plans in mind. Her approach to patients, which emphasizes holistic, patient centered, strength based treatment built on a foundation of strong doctor-patient alliance and evidence based medical knowledge.

Your appointment with Dr. Summerall will be a conversation. She is there to work towards goals together and is a good translator of "medical-ese". She enjoys working with patients on all aspects of their health and caters treatment plans to you.

Thomas Sargent, MD, holds a master's degree in pharmacology and a Doctor of Medicine from Tulane University School of Medicine. He completed his psychiatry residency at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai West/Morningside in New York City. Over the past four years, he has treated a wide range of mental health conditions in various clinical settings. Dr. Sargent has extensive experience treating mood, anxiety and psychotic disorders, PTSD, OCD, personality disorders, and substance use issues. He utilizes both medication management and psychotherapy to provide comprehensive care. Dr. Sargent has received specialized training at the VA and the Center for Intensive Treatment of Personality Disorders in NYC. Passionate about holistic treatment, Dr. Sargent considers the biological, psychological, and social factors that influence mental health. He believes in addressing core issues through targeted care rather than defaulting to prescribing multiple medications. Dr. Sargent strives to create a supportive environment where patients can openly express their concerns. He believes in shared decision-making to ensure that care is evidence-based but also tailored to each patient's unique needs. Dr. Sargent takes the time to thoroughly explain diagnoses and treatment options, empowering patients to make informed decisions about their mental health. His approach emphasizes patient autonomy and aims to build trust, leading to more effective and personalized care outcomes.

Dr. Austin Lin is a double board-certified adult and addiction psychiatrist who has been in practice for over 9 years. At the center of Dr. Lin's clinical approach is a strong emphasis on establishing trust and using a collaborative approach to help patients develop an individualized and cohesive plan so that they are able to achieve their goals. Dr. Lin's practice focuses on medication management. Typically, he offers this in conjunction with supportive therapy, motivational interviewing, and/or cognitive behavioral therapy in 30-minute follow-up visits. Occasionally, Dr. Lin may recommend that additional therapy is needed and ask that you bring a therapist into your care team in order to provide the best outcome. Dr. Lin received his medical degree from St. George's University School of Medicine. He went on to complete his residency in psychiatry at Harvard South Shore, an affiliate of Harvard Medical School, where he served as Chief Resident and earned his 360° Professionalism award. He then had additional training in Addiction Psychiatry through his fellowship at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. After completing training, Dr. Lin has worked as an Addiction Psychiatrist and Director of Adult Services in the Trauma and Resilience Center (TRC) at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth). He specialized in treating patients with a history of depression, anxiety, trauma, and substance use disorders. Dr. Lin has held an academic appointment at UTHealth, and he has spent his professional career supervising and teaching medical students and psychiatry residents.

Deborah Ford PMHNP, FNP is a dually certified board certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner.  She is also qualified as a family nurse practitioner.  She completed her education at the University of Cincinnati in Ohio and the University of Kennesaw in Ga.  Ms. Ford has 10 years of treating patients with mental health issues.  Working in various settings such as outpatient, inpatient, private practice and telepsychiatry.

Whether you’re struggling with Schizophrenia, ADD, Anxiety, Depression, PTSD, Bipolar, Panic, or other mental health disorders. Together we can work to help equip you with the necessary tools to help you face and overcome challenges. Please understand you are the priority!   Deborah Ford offers encouragement, empathy, hope and understanding by providing compassion and promoting self-care.  In her free time, she enjoys exercise and travel.  Believing that self-love is an essential part of mental wellness.  She believes in continuous learning and is a patient advocate.  As a team, support is provided with the help of psychotherapy such as cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness, psychodynamic therapy using motivational interviewing.  Deborah Ford’s Core Values surround Integrity, accountability, diversity, collaboration, inclusion & respect.